Terms of Service top

Chamber	District	Dates of Service	Legislatures	Party	City/County	Note	Counties in District
S	16	Jan 9, 1917 - Jan 12, 1920	35th (3) (4)   36th (1) (2)	Democrat	Houston / Harris	Senate President Pro Tempore (35th)	Fort Bend, Harris, Waller

(1) In Senate, Lynch Davidson, in special election 3/4/1920, sworn 5/20/1920, succeeded Rienzi M. Johnston, resigned 1/12/1920. In House, J. Lewis Thompson, sworn 5/27/1920, succeeded Lynch Davidson, resigned 1/16/1920. Members of the Texas Congress 1836-1845; Members of the Texas Legislature 1846-2004, 2005.
(2) 36th Legislature - Roll Call of Holdover Senators, 1/14/1919, p. 1. Senate Journal.
(3) 35th Legislature - Senate President Pro Tempore, elected 3/27/1918, 4th C.S. Senate Journal.
(4) 35th Legislature - Member-elect in List of State Senators Elected at the General Election Held November 7, 1916, oath of office administered, 1/9/1917, pp. 2-3. Senate Journal.

Biographical Notes and Resources top

Selected Newspaper articles

Resolutions and Journal entries

• 39th Legislature, 1st C.S., Simple Resolution 21, 9/28/1926, p. 551. Resolutions - Memorial.

Biographical Sketches

• JOHNSTON, Rienzi Melville (1849-1926). Senator, TX. Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress 1774-Present.
• Rienzi Melville Johnston, birth date 9/9/1849, death date 2/28/1926, burial in Glenwood Cemetery, Houston, Harris County. Includes photograph, biographical sketch. Find a Grave.
• JOHNSTON, RIENZI MELVILLE (1849-1926). Handbook of Texas Online.
• Biographical sketch, Volume III, p. 1168. Birth date 9/9/1850. A History of Texas and Texans, 1914.
• Biographical sketch, Senate of the 35th Legislature, "A Look at the Affairs of State: The Real Names and Addresses of Thirty-one Senators With Additional Facts," 3/22/1917, p. 6. Houston Post.
• Biographical sketch, pp. 62-63. Personnel of the Texas State Government for 1885, 19th Legislature, 1885.
• Portrait and biographical sketch, p. 242. Birth date 9/9/1850. Texans and Their State: A Newspaper Reference Work, 1918.
• Portrait and biographical sketch. Birth date 9/9/1850. The Texas Senator, 1978.

Military Service Notes

• Confederate States Army. "During 1862-63 he served two years in the Confederate army as a drummer boy. He was then discharged, but in the fall of 1864 reenlisted and continued until the close. When the army was disbanded he was still less than thirteen years of age." Referred to as "Col. Johnston" throughout biographical sketch, appears to be honorary term. A History of Texas and Texans, 1914.
• Rienzi Melville Johnston, "Drummer and soldier in an unidentified Georgia infantry or homeguard unit." Texas Burial Sites of Civil War Notables: A Biographical and Pictorial Field Guide, 2002.

Photographs

• Photograph. R.M. Johnston, 36th Legislature, State Preservation Board
• Photograph. R.M. Johnston, 35th Legislature, State Preservation Board

Composite Photographs on Display in the Capitol

• 35th session composite photo of Senate members (3rd floor back hall corridor, west wall. 3E.C2). State Preservation Board.
• 36th session composite photo of Senate members (3rd floor back hall corridor, west wall. 3E.C2). State Preservation Board.

Committee Information top

36th R.S. - 1919 Commerce and Manufactures   Federal Relations   Judicial Districts   Public Buildings and Grounds   Public Printing (Vice Chair)  Towns and City Corporations (Chair)

35th R.S. - 1917 Constitutional Amendments   Counties and County Boundaries   Finance   Internal Improvements   Judicial Districts   Nominations of the Governor   Privileges and Elections   Public Printing   State Penitentiaries   Towns and City Corporations